How Long?

Meditations on the Psalms

July 20, 2022

How Long?

 

Turn and answer me, O Lord my God!
    Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die.

Psalm 13:3

The phrase, ‘how long’ is used over fifty times in the Bible, thirteen times in the Book of Psalms and four times in Psalm 13. When the phrase is used, sometimes it is God speaking, asking how long He must put up with the sinfulness of Israel. Most often it is God’s people pleading to God, “How long must we wait for your deliverance?” Realizing that David wrote these psalms three thousand years ago makes his lament, “How long?” even more poignant.

There is no easy answer to this question. If a thousand years to us is but a day to God (2 Peter 3:8), then according to God’s calendar David wrote these psalms three days ago. I don’t know if that helps you, but I find comfort in remembering that God’s time cannot be measured. Neither can God’s eternal goodness be measured. Therefore the letter of Hebrews can boldly state that Jesus, “who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). The glory that awaits God’s children far outweighs the feelings of despair we may experience today.

But as David notes in this psalm, the wait is not without purpose and great blessings. As David turned to God, he found God turning to him. (See also James 4:8) God restored the sparkle to David’s eyes, and David sang praises to God. When our soul cries out to God, ‘How long?” David inspires us to remember we can turn to God and experience God putting a sparkle in our eyes.

My Takeaway: “I tend to feel stuck in situations I’d like to change because I can see only the present moment. But You look at the big picture—all the moments of my life—and You are doing far more than I can comprehend.” (Jesus Listens, Sarah Young, p.202. Inspired by Ephesians 3:20.)

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2022 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.